“Navigating the Waters: Pathways to Embracing Diversity”

A Cultural Proficiency and Diversity Competency Initiative

Princeton Theological Seminary endeavors to model for the academy and the worldwide church a community of individuals who seek what is best for each other. The Seminary respects and significantly benefits from diversity as expressed through racial/ethnic, gender, cultural, disability, age, sexual orientation, religious/denominational, and socioeconomic differences among faculty, staff and students. It takes seriously its responsibility to offer educational and professional opportunities equitably to all qualified persons. The Seminary through its curriculum, programs, and services, endeavors to provide understanding and supportive interaction among diverse populations groups and respects individuals’ personal values and ideas. Diversity for the Seminary is therefore particularly germane to this core perspective. A commitment to diversity is central to our mission of discovery and vocational exploration.

The transformation to being culturally proficient and diversity competent requires time to think, reflect, assess, decide, and change. To become culturally proficient, administrators, managers, staff, students, and faculty participate actively in work sessions, contributing their distinctive ideas, beliefs, feelings, and perceptions. Consequently, our contributions will involve us deeply in the process and make it easier for the entire community to commit to change.

Navigating the Waters is a Seminary-wide effort to truly commit ourselves to becoming a caring and inclusive community. We endeavor to explore and define tools of cultural proficiency and diversity competency to make this transformation through sustainable systemic change. Culturally proficient and diversity competent educators and administrators can confidently deliver programs and services, knowing that faculty, staff, and students genuinely want and can readily receive them without having their cultural connections denied, offended, or threatened. A culturally proficient seminary will provide opportunities for students, and thus, future leaders of the church with practical tools of engagement as they soon will confront the myriad of challenges posed by a diverse and pluralistic society.

This initiative is being coordinated through the efforts of a cross-sectional “Navigating Team” composed of students, faculty, administrators, and support staff. We welcome your thoughts and insights in this endeavor. For more information please communicate with us at [email protected].

A representative body of the Seminary community is committed to a culture that fosters awareness and inclusiveness where community members are empowered and committed to an inclusive agenda. SCID will create, collaborate with and support the development of innovative ideas and effective strategies to recruit and retain diverse students, staff, and faculty.